US20130154619A1 - System for positional measurement in a coupling device - Google Patents
System for positional measurement in a coupling device Download PDFInfo
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- US20130154619A1 US20130154619A1 US13/806,768 US201113806768A US2013154619A1 US 20130154619 A1 US20130154619 A1 US 20130154619A1 US 201113806768 A US201113806768 A US 201113806768A US 2013154619 A1 US2013154619 A1 US 2013154619A1
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- flange
- shaft
- fixture
- shaft part
- coupling member
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16D—COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES
- F16D3/00—Yielding couplings, i.e. with means permitting movement between the connected parts during the drive
- F16D3/02—Yielding couplings, i.e. with means permitting movement between the connected parts during the drive adapted to specific functions
- F16D3/10—Couplings with means for varying the angular relationship of two coaxial shafts during motion
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- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01B—MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS
- G01B7/00—Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of electric or magnetic techniques
- G01B7/30—Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of electric or magnetic techniques for measuring angles or tapers; for testing the alignment of axes
- G01B7/31—Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of electric or magnetic techniques for measuring angles or tapers; for testing the alignment of axes for testing the alignment of axes
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16D—COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES
- F16D3/00—Yielding couplings, i.e. with means permitting movement between the connected parts during the drive
- F16D3/50—Yielding couplings, i.e. with means permitting movement between the connected parts during the drive with the coupling parts connected by one or more intermediate members
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F03—MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS; WIND, SPRING, OR WEIGHT MOTORS; PRODUCING MECHANICAL POWER OR A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F03D—WIND MOTORS
- F03D15/00—Transmission of mechanical power
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16D—COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES
- F16D2300/00—Special features for couplings or clutches
- F16D2300/18—Sensors; Details or arrangements thereof
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a system for measuring the position of a coupling member that comprises a shaft part, a first flange and a second flange.
- the coupling member further comprises a first resilient bushing, which secures the first flange to the shaft part, and a second resilient bushing, which secures the second flange to the shaft part.
- Each resilient bushing is arranged with a resilient yield between the respective flange and the shaft part.
- the first flange is intended to be secured to a first shaft and the second flange is intended to be secured to a second shaft, and the coupling member, when placed between the first shaft and the second shaft, is intended to transfer a rotation movement from the first shaft to the second shaft.
- the system further comprises at least a first head unit mounted on a first fixture.
- the present invention also relates to a system for measuring the position of a coupling member in a wind power plant, where the coupling member comprises a shaft part, a first flange and a second flange.
- the coupling member further comprises a first resilient bushing, which secures the first flange to the shaft part, and a second resilient bushing, which secures the second flange to the shaft part.
- Each resilient bushing is arranged with a resilient yield between the respective flange and the shaft part.
- the first flange is intended to be secured to a first shaft and the second flange is intended to be secured to a second shaft, and the coupling member, when placed between the first shaft and the second shaft, is intended to transfer a rotation movement from the first shaft to the second shaft.
- the present invention also relates to a system for measuring the position of a coupling member, where the coupling member comprises a shaft part, a first flange and a second flange, where the coupling member further comprises a first resilient bushing, which secures the first flange to the shaft part, and a second resilient bushing, which secures the second flange to the shaft part, where each resilient bushing is arranged with a resilient yield between the respective flange and the shaft part, where the first flange is intended to be secured to a first shaft and the second flange is intended to be secured to a second shaft, and the coupling member, when placed between the first shaft and the second shaft, is intended to transfer a rotation movement from the first shaft to the second shaft, where the system further comprises at least a first head unit mounted on a first fixture.
- Such an elastic coupling, or coupling member normally consists of a rigid shaft part and of two resilient bushings at each end of the rigid shaft part. The resilient bushings are normally mounted on the respective first and second shaft via suitable flanges.
- the alignment between the first shaft and the second shaft is as correct as possible, for which reason a manual alignment is nowadays carried out during assembly using the necessary measuring equipment, for example laser-based measuring equipment.
- the coupling member further comprises a first resilient bushing, which secures the first flange to the shaft part, and a second resilient bushing, which secures the second flange to the shaft part.
- Each resilient bushing is arranged with a resilient yield between the respective flange and the shaft part.
- the first flange is intended to be secured to a first shaft and the second flange is intended to be secured to a second shaft, and the coupling member, when placed between the first shaft and the second shaft, is intended to transfer a rotation movement from the first shaft to the second shaft.
- the system further comprises at least a first head unit mounted on a first fixture.
- the first fixture is designed to be mounted between the first flange and the shaft part via existing mounting elements for the first resilient bushing, where the fixture comprises at least one sensor arranged for position measurement between the first flange and the shaft part.
- the measurement of the position of the coupling member can comprise measuring the alignment of the coupling member and/or measuring a change of position in the rotation direction of at least one of the shafts.
- it comprises a second head unit mounted on a second fixture, where the second fixture is designed to be mounted between the second flange and the shaft part via existing mounting elements for the second resilient bushing, where said fixture comprises at least one sensor arranged for position measurement between the second flange and the shaft part.
- each fixture comprises a central hub with at least two spokes extending radially from the central hub, where each head unit is designed to be mounted on said hub.
- Each sensor can be designed to be placed on at least one corresponding spoke.
- the sensor can be, for example, a Hall sensor and is then designed to cooperate with a corresponding magnet, where the position measurement takes place between each Hall sensor and corresponding magnet.
- it comprises a first fixture designed to be mounted between the first flange and the shaft part, said fixture comprising at least one sensor arranged for position measurement between the first flange and the shaft part, and a second fixture designed to be mounted between the second flange and the shaft part ( 33 ), the first fixture and the second fixture being connected via connecting elements.
- the object of the present invention is also achieved with a system for measuring the position of a coupling member in a wind power plant, where the coupling member comprises a shaft part, a first flange and a second flange.
- the coupling member further comprises a first resilient bushing, which secures the first flange to the shaft part, and a second resilient bushing, which secures the second flange to the shaft part.
- Each resilient bushing is arranged with a resilient yield between the respective flange and the shaft part.
- the first flange is intended to be secured to a first shaft and the second flange is intended to be secured to a second shaft, and the coupling member, when placed between the first shaft and the second shaft, is intended to transfer a rotation movement from the first shaft to the second shaft.
- the system comprises means for measuring a first angle between the first flange and the shaft part and a second angle between the second flange and the shaft part.
- the present invention affords a number of advantages, among which it is possible during operation
- FIG. 1 shows a simplified view of two shafts with elastic coupling
- FIG. 2 shows a simplified view of a measuring fixture according to the present invention
- FIG. 3 shows a simplified view of two shafts with elastic coupling, where there is an angle error
- FIG. 4 shows a simplified view of two shafts with elastic coupling, with mounted measuring fixture
- FIG. 5 shows a simplified cross section of FIG. 4 ;
- FIG. 6 shows a simplified view of an alternative measuring fixture according to the present invention
- FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the invention.
- FIG. 8 shows another perspective view of this alternative embodiment.
- an elastic coupling in the form of a coupling member 1 comprises a shaft part 2 , a first flange 3 and a second flange 4 .
- the coupling member 1 further comprises a first resilient bushing 5 , which secures the first flange 3 to the shaft part 2 , and a second resilient bushing 6 , which secures the second flange 4 to the shaft part 2 .
- Each resilient bushing 5 , 6 is arranged with a resilient yield between the respective flange 3 , 4 and the shaft part 2 , where the first flange 3 is intended to be secured to a first shaft 7 and the second flange 4 is intended to be secured to a second shaft 8 .
- the coupling member 1 when placed between the first shaft 7 and the second shaft 8 , is intended to transfer a rotation movement from the first shaft 7 to the second shaft 8 , where the resilient yield of the resilient bushings 5 , 6 is intended to take up errors of alignment between the first shaft 7 and the second shaft 8 , as is illustrated in FIG. 3 .
- FIG. 3 shows how a first angle ⁇ is present between a first plane P 1 of the end of the first flange 3 facing the shaft part 2 and a second plane P 2 of the end of the shaft part 2 facing the first flange 3 , where the first plane P 1 is at right angles to the axial extent of the first shaft 7 , and the second plane P 2 is at right angles to the axial extent of the shaft part 2 .
- a second angle ⁇ is present between a third plane P 3 of the end of the second flange 4 facing the shaft part 2 and a fourth plane P 4 of the end of the shaft part 2 facing the first flange 3 , where the third plane P 3 is at right angles to the axial extent of the second shaft 8 , and the fourth plane P 4 is at right angles to the axial extent of the shaft part 2 .
- the planes P 1 , P 2 , P 3 , P 4 are parallel to one another.
- a first fixture 10 is mounted between the first flange 3 and the shaft part 2 with the aid of existing mounting elements for the first resilient bushing 5 , such that the first fixture 10 bears on the shaft part 2 .
- the fixture 10 comprises a central hub 11 with three spokes 12 , 13 , 14 extending radially from the central hub 11 , where a head unit 9 is designed to be mounted on the central hub 11 .
- a sensor is placed on a first spoke 12 , a first weight 16 a is arranged on a second spoke 13 and is displaceable along the spoke 13 , and a second weight 16 b is arranged on a third spoke 14 and is displaceable along the spoke 13 .
- the weights 16 a, 16 b are designed to be adjusted such that any imbalance is compensated.
- the sensor 15 is a Hall sensor and is designed to cooperate with a corresponding magnet 17 , which is mounted opposite the Hall sensor on the first flange 3 , where the distance measurement takes place between the Hall sensor 15 and the magnet 17 .
- a third weight 18 is placed on the second flange 5 in order to compensate any imbalance that the magnet 17 may create.
- the head unit 9 comprises a power unit and electronics, where a signal from the Hall sensor is detected and sent wirelessly from the head unit 9 to an external unit (not shown) for processing and evaluation of measurement data.
- the external unit can be integrated with existing monitoring equipment in an installation in which the first shaft 7 and the second shaft 8 are present.
- An example of such an installation is a wind power plant, where the coupling member 1 is coupled between the first shaft, which then comes from a gear, and the second shaft, which then comes from a generator.
- the present invention thus entails that mounting holes 19 , 20 , 21 of the fixture 10 , here shown in the form of mounting lugs 19 , 20 , 21 , are designed to cooperate with existing mounting devices for the first resilient bushing 5 .
- the first resilient bushing 5 comprises resilient means 22 , 23 , 24 , which are indicated symbolically in FIG. 4 . These resilient means 22 , 23 , 24 are secured to the first flange 3 and the shaft part 2 via existing securing holes (not shown) therein.
- the mounting holes 19 , 20 , 21 of the fixture 10 are designed such that, in this example, they match the securing holes of the shaft part 2 for the first resilient bushing 5 and are secured there with associated bolts; the fixture is thus mounted when the coupling member 1 is dismantled.
- these securing holes together with the necessary bolts thus constitute the existing mounting elements for the first resilient bushing 5 .
- all the necessary alignment information can be obtained by measuring the angle error defined by the above-discussed first angle ⁇ and second angle ⁇ .
- a corresponding second fixture 25 is preferably mounted in a corresponding way between the second flange 4 and the shaft part 2 with the aid of existing mounting elements for the second resilient bushing 6 , such that the second fixture 25 bears on the shaft part 2 .
- distance measurement can also take place between the second flange 4 and the shaft part 2 , whereby both the first angle ⁇ and also the second angle ⁇ can be obtained.
- the number of spokes can vary, but each fixture should comprise at least two spokes. How many weights are used to compensate for imbalance of the fixture will depend on the number of spokes. For example, one weight may be sufficient for an even number of evenly distributed spokes.
- a fixture 10 ′ can comprise two parts 10 a, 10 b, where a first part 10 a comprises a head unit 9 ′ and is mounted in a first existing securing hole of the shaft part 2 , and where a second part 10 b comprises a counterweight which is mounted in a second existing securing hole of the shaft part 2 , such that the imbalance introduced by the first part 10 a is compensated.
- the magnet 17 and its counterweight 18 can be secured in a suitable manner, for example by adhesive bonding.
- the magnet 17 and its counterweight 18 can be arranged on a separate fixture, the latter also being secured with the aid of existing mounting elements which, with reference to FIG. 4 , should be located on the first flange 3 .
- the number of weights used to compensate for the magnet can also vary and can therefore be greater than the one weight 18 shown.
- each fixture 10 can be mounted by using existing securing holes in the respective flange 3 , 4 instead, in which case each magnet 17 , with its counterweight, is mounted on the shaft part 2 .
- Each fixture preferably bears at least partially on the respective flange 3 , 4 and/or shaft part 2 .
- These securing holes in the respective flange 3 , 4 in this case constitute the existing mounting elements for the respective resilient bushing 5 , 6 .
- Each fixture can also have many different configurations, the main object of the present invention being to use existing mounting elements for the respective resilient bushing.
- the invention can of course be used with only one fixture, although two fixtures should be used to obtain both the angles ⁇ , ⁇ .
- the invention comprises only one fixture.
- Each fixture comprises at least one head unit.
- the sensor does not need to be a Hall sensor, and instead it is possible for the system to use any type of sensor designed for distance measurement, or more generally for position measurement, for example a distance probe. In such cases, there is no need for an opposite magnet to be mounted.
- the fixtures with associated sensors, magnets and weights are included in a system for measuring the alignment of a coupling member 1 .
- the invention also includes making available a system for measuring the alignment of a coupling member 1 in accordance with the above in a wind power plant, where the coupling member 1 is coupled between a first shaft, which comes from a gear, and a second shaft, which comes from a generator.
- the system comprises means for measuring a first angle ⁇ between the first flange 3 and the shaft part 2 and a second angle ⁇ between the second flange 4 and the shaft part 2 .
- This system preferably consists of the system comprising at least one fixture with associated equipment as described above.
- the spokes 12 , 13 , 14 are preferably held together by a surrounding securing ring 26 , on which said mounting lugs 19 , 20 , 21 are secured.
- the sensor 15 can communicate with the corresponding head unit 9 wirelessly, but also via a fixed connection 27 .
- the present invention can generally also concern position measurement.
- such position measurement would involve measuring a change of position in the rotation direction of the shafts 7 , 8 .
- Such a change of position would be able to be measured, for example, with the aid of a multi-axis Hall sensor. In this way, the torque transferred by the coupling would be able to be detected.
- the present invention which has mainly been described as concerning measuring the alignment of a coupling member 1 , relates in a more general form to a position measurement of a coupling member 1 .
- the present invention relates generally to a system S, as is indicated in FIG. 4 , for measuring the alignment of a coupling member in accordance with the above, where the system S further comprises at least a first head unit 9 mounted on a first fixture 10 , which is designed to be mounted between the first flange 3 and the shaft part 2 via existing mounting elements for the first resilient bushing 5 .
- Said fixture 10 comprises at least one sensor 15 arranged for position measurement between the first flange 3 and the shaft part 2 .
- the resilient means 22 , 23 , 24 which are indicated symbolically in FIG. 4 , can be designed in many ways that are already well known for this type of coupling member.
- FIG. 7 shows another embodiment of the present invention.
- This embodiment has essentially the same object and areas of application as have been described with reference to the embodiment above, but it is constructed and secured differently than what has been described above.
- this second embodiment is based on a first fixture 28 a and a second fixture 28 b being arranged on both sides of a shaft part (not shown in FIG. 7 , but corresponds to the shaft part 2 in FIG. 1 ). More specifically, the fixtures 28 a, 28 b are then secured between the respective end portions of this shaft part by being connected with the aid of a certain number of connecting elements 29 , preferably four connecting elements 29 .
- These connecting elements 29 can preferably be in the form of relatively thin rods of suitable material, for example steel or titanium. However, the invention is not limited in terms of the number, material or design of said connecting elements 29 .
- the securing can preferably be obtained by the respective end portion of each connecting element 29 being threaded and cooperating with a nut 29 b on the opposite face of each fixture 28 a, 28 b.
- the first-mentioned fixture 28 a is designed with a central hub 29 , which supports a head unit 30 which in turn corresponds to the head unit 9 shown in FIG. 2 .
- the fixture 28 a supports a sensor 31 , preferably a Hall sensor, which is designed in the above-mentioned manner to cooperate with a corresponding magnet (not shown) which is mounted on a flange (not shown in FIG. 7 ). Distance measurement between the sensor and the magnet is permitted in this way.
- the respective fixture 2 can be provided with at least one weight 32 , which can be displaced in the radial direction along the fixture 28 a.
- This weight 32 can be adjusted in such a way that any imbalance is compensated during operation.
- the head unit 30 comprises a power unit and electronics, and a signal from the sensor 31 can be detected and then sent wirelessly from the head unit 30 to an external unit (not shown) for processing and evaluation of measurement data.
- FIG. 8 shows how the invention, according to the alternative embodiment also shown in FIG. 7 , can be arranged such that the first fixture 28 a and the second fixture (not shown in FIG. 8 ) are secured on both sides of a shaft part 33 .
- the mounting is such that the abovementioned connecting elements 29 run inside the shaft part 33 , which for this purpose is hollow.
- Resilient bushings 34 a, 34 b are also arranged between the end portions of the shaft part 33 and each fixture. Each bushing 34 a, 34 b can be mounted in a corresponding flange 35 (only one flange is shown in FIG. 8 ) via a number of securing devices 36 a, 36 b.
- the existing securing devices 36 a , 36 b can be used to mount each fixture 28 a, 28 b on the bushings 34 a, 34 b.
- the fixtures 28 a, 28 b can in principle be mounted by being tensioned relatively stiffly with the aid of the connecting elements 29 such that they are pressed against the respective bushing 34 a, 34 b and the respective end of the shaft part 33 . In this way, each fixture 28 a, 28 b is secured between a flange 35 and a bushing 34 a, 34 b.
- the flange 35 is designed to be secured to a first shaft 37 .
- An opposite flange (not shown in FIG. 8 ) is then arranged on the other bushing 34 b and is designed to be secured in a second shaft (not shown).
- FIGS. 7 and 8 The embodiment that has been described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8 has generally the same function as has been described with reference to FIGS. 1-6 , but it provides a reliable and space-saving way of securing each fixture 28 a, 28 b, not least because the connecting elements 29 extend inside the shaft part 33 .
- the securing is also stable during rotation in operation and permits simple assembly.
- the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 can comprise a head unit 30 that communicates and cooperates with two sensors 31 (one on each fixture 28 a, 28 b ).
- the invention can be such that each fixture 28 a, 28 b comprises a head unit and an associated sensor.
Abstract
Description
- The present invention relates to a system for measuring the position of a coupling member that comprises a shaft part, a first flange and a second flange. The coupling member further comprises a first resilient bushing, which secures the first flange to the shaft part, and a second resilient bushing, which secures the second flange to the shaft part. Each resilient bushing is arranged with a resilient yield between the respective flange and the shaft part. The first flange is intended to be secured to a first shaft and the second flange is intended to be secured to a second shaft, and the coupling member, when placed between the first shaft and the second shaft, is intended to transfer a rotation movement from the first shaft to the second shaft. The system further comprises at least a first head unit mounted on a first fixture.
- The present invention also relates to a system for measuring the position of a coupling member in a wind power plant, where the coupling member comprises a shaft part, a first flange and a second flange. The coupling member further comprises a first resilient bushing, which secures the first flange to the shaft part, and a second resilient bushing, which secures the second flange to the shaft part. Each resilient bushing is arranged with a resilient yield between the respective flange and the shaft part. The first flange is intended to be secured to a first shaft and the second flange is intended to be secured to a second shaft, and the coupling member, when placed between the first shaft and the second shaft, is intended to transfer a rotation movement from the first shaft to the second shaft.
- The present invention also relates to a system for measuring the position of a coupling member, where the coupling member comprises a shaft part, a first flange and a second flange, where the coupling member further comprises a first resilient bushing, which secures the first flange to the shaft part, and a second resilient bushing, which secures the second flange to the shaft part, where each resilient bushing is arranged with a resilient yield between the respective flange and the shaft part, where the first flange is intended to be secured to a first shaft and the second flange is intended to be secured to a second shaft, and the coupling member, when placed between the first shaft and the second shaft, is intended to transfer a rotation movement from the first shaft to the second shaft, where the system further comprises at least a first head unit mounted on a first fixture.
- In some applications, it is necessary to couple a first shaft and a second shaft together, where the first shaft is a driving shaft, such that the first shaft comes to drive the second shaft.
- An example of such an application is a wind power plant, where a gearbox shaft has to be coupled to a generator shaft. Such elastic couplings must be able to take up some deviations in the alignment of the shafts and are previously known. Such an elastic coupling, or coupling member, normally consists of a rigid shaft part and of two resilient bushings at each end of the rigid shaft part. The resilient bushings are normally mounted on the respective first and second shaft via suitable flanges.
- It is of course preferable for the alignment between the first shaft and the second shaft to be as correct as possible, for which reason a manual alignment is nowadays carried out during assembly using the necessary measuring equipment, for example laser-based measuring equipment.
- However, there is a need to be able to measure the alignment between the first shaft and the second shaft, that is to say the alignment of the coupling member, continuously during operation, which cannot be done using existing measuring equipment. Since the shafts concerned are rotating shafts, measuring equipment must not create an imbalance when mounted. It is also desirable to be able to measure this alignment using existing structures, without causing damage to them.
- It is also desirable to be able to detect other operating data, such as the torque transmitted by the coupling being able to be detected by measuring the position of the coupling member.
- It is therefore necessary to be able to measure the position of a coupling member between a first shaft and a second shaft continuously during operation, where a rotation movement of the first shaft is transferred to the second shaft via the coupling member which elastically couples the first shaft to the second shaft, and where introduction of imbalance is also avoided.
- It is also desirable that equipment for measuring the position of a coupling member can be mounted on existing equipment without the need for any mechanical working.
- It is an object of the present invention to make available a system for measuring the position of a coupling member between a first shaft and a second shaft continuously during operation, where a rotation movement of the first shaft is transferred to the second shaft via the coupling member which elastically couples the first shaft to the second shaft, and where introduction of imbalance is avoided.
- It is also an object of the present invention to make available a system which is used for measuring alignment as above and which allows equipment to be mounted on existing machinery without the need to perform any mechanical working.
- These objects are achieved with a system for measuring the position of a coupling member which comprises a shaft part, a first flange and a second flange.
- The coupling member further comprises a first resilient bushing, which secures the first flange to the shaft part, and a second resilient bushing, which secures the second flange to the shaft part. Each resilient bushing is arranged with a resilient yield between the respective flange and the shaft part. The first flange is intended to be secured to a first shaft and the second flange is intended to be secured to a second shaft, and the coupling member, when placed between the first shaft and the second shaft, is intended to transfer a rotation movement from the first shaft to the second shaft. The system further comprises at least a first head unit mounted on a first fixture. The first fixture is designed to be mounted between the first flange and the shaft part via existing mounting elements for the first resilient bushing, where the fixture comprises at least one sensor arranged for position measurement between the first flange and the shaft part.
- The measurement of the position of the coupling member can comprise measuring the alignment of the coupling member and/or measuring a change of position in the rotation direction of at least one of the shafts.
- According to one example, it comprises a second head unit mounted on a second fixture, where the second fixture is designed to be mounted between the second flange and the shaft part via existing mounting elements for the second resilient bushing, where said fixture comprises at least one sensor arranged for position measurement between the second flange and the shaft part.
- According to another example, each fixture comprises a central hub with at least two spokes extending radially from the central hub, where each head unit is designed to be mounted on said hub. Each sensor can be designed to be placed on at least one corresponding spoke.
- The sensor can be, for example, a Hall sensor and is then designed to cooperate with a corresponding magnet, where the position measurement takes place between each Hall sensor and corresponding magnet.
- According to another embodiment of the invention, it comprises a first fixture designed to be mounted between the first flange and the shaft part, said fixture comprising at least one sensor arranged for position measurement between the first flange and the shaft part, and a second fixture designed to be mounted between the second flange and the shaft part (33), the first fixture and the second fixture being connected via connecting elements.
- More examples are set forth in the dependent claims.
- The object of the present invention is also achieved with a system for measuring the position of a coupling member in a wind power plant, where the coupling member comprises a shaft part, a first flange and a second flange. The coupling member further comprises a first resilient bushing, which secures the first flange to the shaft part, and a second resilient bushing, which secures the second flange to the shaft part. Each resilient bushing is arranged with a resilient yield between the respective flange and the shaft part. The first flange is intended to be secured to a first shaft and the second flange is intended to be secured to a second shaft, and the coupling member, when placed between the first shaft and the second shaft, is intended to transfer a rotation movement from the first shaft to the second shaft. The system comprises means for measuring a first angle between the first flange and the shaft part and a second angle between the second flange and the shaft part.
- The present invention affords a number of advantages, among which it is possible during operation
- to detect coupling errors;
- to detect risks so as to be able to avoid breakdowns;
- to optimize the efficacy of the generator;
- to optimize the useful life of the components involved; and
- to measure the torque transferred from the coupling by measuring the change of position in the rotation direction.
- The present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the attached drawings, in which:
-
FIG. 1 shows a simplified view of two shafts with elastic coupling; -
FIG. 2 shows a simplified view of a measuring fixture according to the present invention; -
FIG. 3 shows a simplified view of two shafts with elastic coupling, where there is an angle error; -
FIG. 4 shows a simplified view of two shafts with elastic coupling, with mounted measuring fixture; -
FIG. 5 shows a simplified cross section ofFIG. 4 ; -
FIG. 6 shows a simplified view of an alternative measuring fixture according to the present invention; -
FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the invention; and -
FIG. 8 shows another perspective view of this alternative embodiment. - Referring to
FIG. 1 , an elastic coupling in the form of acoupling member 1 comprises ashaft part 2, afirst flange 3 and asecond flange 4. Thecoupling member 1 further comprises a firstresilient bushing 5, which secures thefirst flange 3 to theshaft part 2, and a secondresilient bushing 6, which secures thesecond flange 4 to theshaft part 2. - Each
resilient bushing respective flange shaft part 2, where thefirst flange 3 is intended to be secured to afirst shaft 7 and thesecond flange 4 is intended to be secured to asecond shaft 8. Thecoupling member 1, when placed between thefirst shaft 7 and thesecond shaft 8, is intended to transfer a rotation movement from thefirst shaft 7 to thesecond shaft 8, where the resilient yield of theresilient bushings first shaft 7 and thesecond shaft 8, as is illustrated inFIG. 3 . -
FIG. 3 shows how a first angle α is present between a first plane P1 of the end of thefirst flange 3 facing theshaft part 2 and a second plane P2 of the end of theshaft part 2 facing thefirst flange 3, where the first plane P1 is at right angles to the axial extent of thefirst shaft 7, and the second plane P2 is at right angles to the axial extent of theshaft part 2. In the same way, a second angle β is present between a third plane P3 of the end of thesecond flange 4 facing theshaft part 2 and a fourth plane P4 of the end of theshaft part 2 facing thefirst flange 3, where the third plane P3 is at right angles to the axial extent of thesecond shaft 8, and the fourth plane P4 is at right angles to the axial extent of theshaft part 2. - When no coupling error is present, the planes P1, P2, P3, P4 are parallel to one another.
- In accordance with the present invention, and with reference to
FIG. 4 andFIG. 5 which show in more detail the area around the firstresilient bushing 5, afirst fixture 10 is mounted between thefirst flange 3 and theshaft part 2 with the aid of existing mounting elements for the firstresilient bushing 5, such that thefirst fixture 10 bears on theshaft part 2. - Referring also to
FIG. 2 , thefixture 10 comprises acentral hub 11 with threespokes central hub 11, where ahead unit 9 is designed to be mounted on thecentral hub 11. - A sensor is placed on a
first spoke 12, afirst weight 16 a is arranged on asecond spoke 13 and is displaceable along thespoke 13, and asecond weight 16 b is arranged on athird spoke 14 and is displaceable along thespoke 13. Theweights - The
sensor 15 is a Hall sensor and is designed to cooperate with acorresponding magnet 17, which is mounted opposite the Hall sensor on thefirst flange 3, where the distance measurement takes place between theHall sensor 15 and themagnet 17. - A
third weight 18 is placed on thesecond flange 5 in order to compensate any imbalance that themagnet 17 may create. - The
head unit 9 comprises a power unit and electronics, where a signal from the Hall sensor is detected and sent wirelessly from thehead unit 9 to an external unit (not shown) for processing and evaluation of measurement data. The external unit can be integrated with existing monitoring equipment in an installation in which thefirst shaft 7 and thesecond shaft 8 are present. - An example of such an installation is a wind power plant, where the
coupling member 1 is coupled between the first shaft, which then comes from a gear, and the second shaft, which then comes from a generator. - Referring to
FIGS. 2 , 4 and 5, the present invention thus entails that mountingholes fixture 10, here shown in the form of mountinglugs resilient bushing 5. The firstresilient bushing 5 comprises resilient means 22, 23, 24, which are indicated symbolically inFIG. 4 . These resilient means 22, 23, 24 are secured to thefirst flange 3 and theshaft part 2 via existing securing holes (not shown) therein. The mounting holes 19, 20, 21 of thefixture 10 are designed such that, in this example, they match the securing holes of theshaft part 2 for the firstresilient bushing 5 and are secured there with associated bolts; the fixture is thus mounted when thecoupling member 1 is dismantled. In this example, these securing holes together with the necessary bolts thus constitute the existing mounting elements for the firstresilient bushing 5. - According to the present invention, all the necessary alignment information can be obtained by measuring the angle error defined by the above-discussed first angle α and second angle β.
- To be able to measure the second angle β and in this way obtain all the necessary alignment information, a corresponding
second fixture 25, shown only schematically inFIG. 1 , is preferably mounted in a corresponding way between thesecond flange 4 and theshaft part 2 with the aid of existing mounting elements for the secondresilient bushing 6, such that thesecond fixture 25 bears on theshaft part 2. In this way, distance measurement can also take place between thesecond flange 4 and theshaft part 2, whereby both the first angle α and also the second angle β can be obtained. - The invention is not limited to the above and instead can be varied freely within the scope of the attached claims. For example, the number of spokes can vary, but each fixture should comprise at least two spokes. How many weights are used to compensate for imbalance of the fixture will depend on the number of spokes. For example, one weight may be sufficient for an even number of evenly distributed spokes.
- Each fixture can be of another design, but still using the existing mounting elements for the respective
resilient bushing FIG. 6 , afixture 10′ can comprise twoparts 10 a, 10 b, where a first part 10 a comprises ahead unit 9′ and is mounted in a first existing securing hole of theshaft part 2, and where asecond part 10 b comprises a counterweight which is mounted in a second existing securing hole of theshaft part 2, such that the imbalance introduced by the first part 10 a is compensated. - The
magnet 17 and itscounterweight 18 can be secured in a suitable manner, for example by adhesive bonding. Alternatively, themagnet 17 and itscounterweight 18 can be arranged on a separate fixture, the latter also being secured with the aid of existing mounting elements which, with reference toFIG. 4 , should be located on thefirst flange 3. The number of weights used to compensate for the magnet can also vary and can therefore be greater than the oneweight 18 shown. - The mounting can of course be done in another way. For example, each
fixture 10 can be mounted by using existing securing holes in therespective flange magnet 17, with its counterweight, is mounted on theshaft part 2. Each fixture preferably bears at least partially on therespective flange shaft part 2. These securing holes in therespective flange resilient bushing - Each fixture can also have many different configurations, the main object of the present invention being to use existing mounting elements for the respective resilient bushing.
- The invention can of course be used with only one fixture, although two fixtures should be used to obtain both the angles α, β. In its simplest form, the invention comprises only one fixture.
- Each fixture comprises at least one head unit.
- The sensor does not need to be a Hall sensor, and instead it is possible for the system to use any type of sensor designed for distance measurement, or more generally for position measurement, for example a distance probe. In such cases, there is no need for an opposite magnet to be mounted.
- The fixtures with associated sensors, magnets and weights are included in a system for measuring the alignment of a
coupling member 1. - The invention also includes making available a system for measuring the alignment of a
coupling member 1 in accordance with the above in a wind power plant, where thecoupling member 1 is coupled between a first shaft, which comes from a gear, and a second shaft, which comes from a generator. The system comprises means for measuring a first angle α between thefirst flange 3 and theshaft part 2 and a second angle β between thesecond flange 4 and theshaft part 2. This system preferably consists of the system comprising at least one fixture with associated equipment as described above. - As is shown in
FIG. 2 , thespokes ring 26, on which said mounting lugs 19, 20, 21 are secured. - The
sensor 15 can communicate with the correspondinghead unit 9 wirelessly, but also via a fixedconnection 27. - Although the expression distance measurement has been used above, the present invention can generally also concern position measurement.
- According to a further example, such position measurement would involve measuring a change of position in the rotation direction of the
shafts coupling member 1, relates in a more general form to a position measurement of acoupling member 1. - Other sorts of position measurements are of course possible.
- The present invention relates generally to a system S, as is indicated in
FIG. 4 , for measuring the alignment of a coupling member in accordance with the above, where the system S further comprises at least afirst head unit 9 mounted on afirst fixture 10, which is designed to be mounted between thefirst flange 3 and theshaft part 2 via existing mounting elements for the firstresilient bushing 5. Saidfixture 10 comprises at least onesensor 15 arranged for position measurement between thefirst flange 3 and theshaft part 2. The resilient means 22, 23, 24, which are indicated symbolically inFIG. 4 , can be designed in many ways that are already well known for this type of coupling member. -
FIG. 7 shows another embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment has essentially the same object and areas of application as have been described with reference to the embodiment above, but it is constructed and secured differently than what has been described above. As can be seen fromFIG. 7 , this second embodiment is based on afirst fixture 28 a and asecond fixture 28 b being arranged on both sides of a shaft part (not shown inFIG. 7 , but corresponds to theshaft part 2 inFIG. 1 ). More specifically, thefixtures elements 29, preferably four connectingelements 29. These connectingelements 29 can preferably be in the form of relatively thin rods of suitable material, for example steel or titanium. However, the invention is not limited in terms of the number, material or design of said connectingelements 29. - The securing can preferably be obtained by the respective end portion of each connecting
element 29 being threaded and cooperating with anut 29 b on the opposite face of eachfixture - In analogy with what has been described above, the first-mentioned
fixture 28 a is designed with acentral hub 29, which supports ahead unit 30 which in turn corresponds to thehead unit 9 shown inFIG. 2 . Moreover, thefixture 28 a supports asensor 31, preferably a Hall sensor, which is designed in the above-mentioned manner to cooperate with a corresponding magnet (not shown) which is mounted on a flange (not shown inFIG. 7 ). Distance measurement between the sensor and the magnet is permitted in this way. - In a manner that has also been described above, the
respective fixture 2 can be provided with at least oneweight 32, which can be displaced in the radial direction along thefixture 28 a. Thisweight 32 can be adjusted in such a way that any imbalance is compensated during operation. - In the same way as has been described above, the
head unit 30 according toFIG. 7 comprises a power unit and electronics, and a signal from thesensor 31 can be detected and then sent wirelessly from thehead unit 30 to an external unit (not shown) for processing and evaluation of measurement data. -
FIG. 8 shows how the invention, according to the alternative embodiment also shown inFIG. 7 , can be arranged such that thefirst fixture 28 a and the second fixture (not shown inFIG. 8 ) are secured on both sides of ashaft part 33. The mounting is such that the abovementioned connectingelements 29 run inside theshaft part 33, which for this purpose is hollow. -
Resilient bushings shaft part 33 and each fixture. Eachbushing FIG. 8 ) via a number of securingdevices - According to the concept of the invention, the existing
securing devices fixture bushings securing devices fixtures elements 29 such that they are pressed against therespective bushing shaft part 33. In this way, eachfixture flange 35 and abushing - In a manner corresponding to what has been described above, the
flange 35 is designed to be secured to afirst shaft 37. An opposite flange (not shown inFIG. 8 ) is then arranged on theother bushing 34 b and is designed to be secured in a second shaft (not shown). - The embodiment that has been described with reference to
FIGS. 7 and 8 has generally the same function as has been described with reference toFIGS. 1-6 , but it provides a reliable and space-saving way of securing eachfixture elements 29 extend inside theshaft part 33. The securing is also stable during rotation in operation and permits simple assembly. - The invention is not limited to the abovementioned embodiments and instead is defined by the attached claims. For example, the embodiment shown in
FIGS. 7 and 8 can comprise ahead unit 30 that communicates and cooperates with two sensors 31 (one on eachfixture fixture
Claims (21)
Applications Claiming Priority (4)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
SE1050720A SE1050720A1 (en) | 2010-06-30 | 2010-06-30 | Position measurement system of a coupling means |
SE1050720-0 | 2010-06-30 | ||
SE1050720 | 2010-06-30 | ||
PCT/SE2011/050890 WO2012002901A2 (en) | 2010-06-30 | 2011-06-30 | System for positional measurement in a coupling device |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US20130154619A1 true US20130154619A1 (en) | 2013-06-20 |
US9097510B2 US9097510B2 (en) | 2015-08-04 |
Family
ID=44936507
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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US13/806,768 Active 2032-01-19 US9097510B2 (en) | 2010-06-30 | 2011-06-30 | System for positional measurement in a coupling device |
Country Status (5)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US9097510B2 (en) |
EP (1) | EP2588773B1 (en) |
CN (1) | CN103003584B (en) |
SE (1) | SE1050720A1 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2012002901A2 (en) |
Families Citing this family (7)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
DE102012015357B4 (en) * | 2012-08-06 | 2018-05-17 | Centa-Antriebe Kirschey Gmbh | Non-shiftable clutch with torque monitoring |
DE102012023201A1 (en) | 2012-11-28 | 2014-05-28 | Prüftechnik Dieter Busch AG | Coupling device and method for determining misalignment of two shafts |
CN103438115A (en) * | 2013-04-23 | 2013-12-11 | 四川大学 | Intelligent shaft coupler |
EP2843359B1 (en) * | 2013-08-26 | 2016-05-04 | Grundfos Holding A/S | Coupling with a drive-side coupling part and with an output-side coupling part |
RU2711150C2 (en) * | 2014-12-12 | 2020-01-15 | Нуово Пиньоне СРЛ | Method and device for measuring load in connection |
FR3030718B1 (en) * | 2014-12-18 | 2019-05-31 | Airbus Operations | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR MEASURING MOVEMENT BETWEEN TWO SUBSTANTIALLY COAXIAL PARTS, PREFERABLY FOR AN AIRCRAFT |
DE102018113762A1 (en) * | 2018-06-08 | 2019-12-12 | KTR Systems GmbH | Method and device for measuring the angular displacement of a double cardanic coupling |
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US4148013A (en) * | 1975-12-19 | 1979-04-03 | The Indikon Company, Inc. | Rotating shaft alignment monitor |
US20020022209A1 (en) * | 2000-08-11 | 2002-02-21 | Polino Brian A. | Multi-axis rotary seal system |
US20030025030A1 (en) * | 2001-07-31 | 2003-02-06 | Maurice Granger | Anti-loop reel-holder flange in a dispensing machine for wipe material |
US8360728B2 (en) * | 2006-10-11 | 2013-01-29 | Lord Corporation | Aircraft with transient-discriminating propeller balancing system |
Family Cites Families (5)
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JPH01247826A (en) * | 1988-03-26 | 1989-10-03 | Yanmar Diesel Engine Co Ltd | Elastic joint and marine power transmission device |
JPH11325093A (en) * | 1998-05-13 | 1999-11-26 | Mitsubishi Heavy Ind Ltd | Spring type elastic shaft coupling |
US6954685B2 (en) * | 2002-04-23 | 2005-10-11 | Lord Corporation | Aircraft vehicular propulsion system monitoring device and method |
US7925392B2 (en) * | 2002-04-23 | 2011-04-12 | Lord Corporation | Aircraft vehicular propulsion system monitoring device and method |
DE102006026462A1 (en) | 2006-06-01 | 2007-12-06 | Brose Fahrzeugteile Gmbh & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft, Coburg | Coupling device for two rotating units of drive unit of adjusting device for motor vehicle, has signal generator integrated in coupling device, where signal generator produces signal representing set of rotations for rotating units |
-
2010
- 2010-06-30 SE SE1050720A patent/SE1050720A1/en unknown
-
2011
- 2011-06-30 WO PCT/SE2011/050890 patent/WO2012002901A2/en active Application Filing
- 2011-06-30 CN CN201180033088.1A patent/CN103003584B/en active Active
- 2011-06-30 EP EP11781887.2A patent/EP2588773B1/en active Active
- 2011-06-30 US US13/806,768 patent/US9097510B2/en active Active
Patent Citations (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4148013A (en) * | 1975-12-19 | 1979-04-03 | The Indikon Company, Inc. | Rotating shaft alignment monitor |
US20020022209A1 (en) * | 2000-08-11 | 2002-02-21 | Polino Brian A. | Multi-axis rotary seal system |
US20030025030A1 (en) * | 2001-07-31 | 2003-02-06 | Maurice Granger | Anti-loop reel-holder flange in a dispensing machine for wipe material |
US8360728B2 (en) * | 2006-10-11 | 2013-01-29 | Lord Corporation | Aircraft with transient-discriminating propeller balancing system |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
WO2012002901A2 (en) | 2012-01-05 |
SE534737C2 (en) | 2011-12-06 |
EP2588773A2 (en) | 2013-05-08 |
SE1050720A1 (en) | 2011-12-06 |
WO2012002901A3 (en) | 2012-03-01 |
CN103003584B (en) | 2016-10-05 |
CN103003584A (en) | 2013-03-27 |
US9097510B2 (en) | 2015-08-04 |
EP2588773B1 (en) | 2018-07-25 |
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